Motor-vehicle.



Patented ma 27, I902.

B C HICKS MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Dec. 26, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOHN CHAPIN HICKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 700,772, dated. May 2'7, 1902. Application filed December 26,1901. Serial No. 87,245. (No model.)

The principal object of the invention is to make a simple, economical, and efficient motor-vehicle and provide it with a running gear having a rigid frame flexibly connected with the rear outer supporting-wheels, so'as to permit limited independent vertical movements of such frame, the rear outer wheels,

the driving-wheel, and the box or body portion, and simplify the connections between such parts.

Another object isto provide simple and efficient means for transferring a large portion of the weight of the motor from the drive-wheel to the outer supporting-wheels when the drive-wheel is below its normal position and from the outer supporting-wheels to the drive-wheel when they are below their normal position, all three of such wheels being independently mounted upon the same axle.-

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from an inspection of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists of a central drivingwheel and two rear outersupporting-wheels so mounted upon the same axle as to permitindependent vertical movements of thedrivewheel and rear supporting-wheels and means for connecting the rear end of the box with both the rigid frame and the outer ends of the supporting-axle, so as to support the box on both theframe and axle and compensate for the variations in the vertical movements of the frame and the rear supporting-wheels and minimize the vertical motion of the box or body portion.

The invention consists, further, in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved running-gear; Fig. 2, a cross-sectional view taken on line 2 of Fig. 1, showing the joint connecting the rear axle with the end of each side frame; and Fig. 3, a cross-sectional view of the rear end of the supporting-braces,

showing the slot and pivotal connection between the braces and axle bell-cranks.

In the artto which this invention relates, and particularly in that class of vehicles in which electricity is used as the motive power and which is provided with a body portion or box so mounted as to have vertical movements independent of the storage -battery bearing portion and driving-wheel and having a driving-wheel adapted to have vertical movements independent of the supporting wheels, it is desirable to dispense with the great multiplicity of the parts heretofore found necessary for forming such connections as would permit the desired independent vertical movements of the frame, the rear supporting-wheels, the driving-wheel, and the box. It is also desirable that means be provided whereby the weight of the motor will be caused to rest principally upon the rear driving-wheel when the three wheels are in their normalposition, and whereby the weight niay betransferred to all three of the rear wheels when the driving-wheel has reached its relative downward limit of motion and to the drive-wheel when the outer supportingwheels are at the limit of their downward motion. V

In constructing a vehicle in accordance with my improvements I make what I term main frame at, having parallel longitudinal side frames 6, rigidly connected with a front axle c and connected at their rear ends by means of a bell-crank axle d, which is rockingly mounted in the ends thereof. A yielding connection between the main frame and the axle may be obtained by providing each of the side frames with an elongated vertical slot 2, through which the axle is passed between springs 3 and 4, arranged-in the slot, above and beneath the axle. The axle is also provided with shoulders 5 and 6 on each side of the slotted portion of the frame and in slid ing connection therewith to hold the parts in place and permit the vertical play of the frame the side frames and afford a base for a platform f, which is rigidly bolted thereto. A rigid frame is thus produced which is adapted to support a motor g, arranged in operative position thereon, and also to supportthe storage batteries and connecting mechanism, (not shown,) all of which may be of any ordinary and well-known type. The front end of this frame is supported by a pair of steering and guiding wheels 71., mounted upon the front axle in the ordinary and well-known manner,

and the front axle is provided with steeringgear mechanism,which maybe of anyordinary and well-known type. For this purpose I prefer to employ wheel-supporting spindles '11, mounted upon the front axle by means of pivots j andprovided with lever-arms 7c, connected together by means of tie-rods Z in the ordinary and well-known manner, as shown.

To support the rear end of the main frame in its normal position and drive the vehicle, I provide a central driving-wheel m, which is rotatably mounted upon the bell-crank axle and provided with a sprocket-wheel n, which in turn is operatively connected with the main driving-sprocket 0 of the motor by means of a chain 1).

In order to provide for the desired independent vertical movements of the rear outer supporting-Wheels, the drive-wheel, the main frame, and the box or body portion and supply compensating connections between the box, the main frame, and the rear supporting-wheels, the bell-crank axle is provided with rearwardlyextending crankarms (1, upon the extreme rear end of which are mounted the wheel-supporting spindles r and rear supporting-wheels 8. Supporting tie-rods or braces 15 are then pivotally connected to the main frame at a point 'u forward of the rear axle and also pivotally with the bell-cranks of the rear axle at their points of juncture with the wheel-supporting spindles by means of elongated slots 7 in the braces in which the bell-cranks are pivotally mounted. It

will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that by this arrangement the drivewheel and two rear supporting-wheels are mounted upon one axle, and yet the weight of the motor rests upon the rear driving-wheel when all of the parts are in their normal position and upon both the rear driving-wheels and rear supporting-wheels when the drivingwheel has reached its downward limit of motion. The box (not shown) is mounted so that the front end rests upon the main frame at the points '0 '0 and the rear end thereof upon the connecting-braces t at the points 10. By this arrangement the weight of the rear end of the box is divided between the main frame and the rear supporting-wheels, and a very efficient means for compensating for the irregularities of the road, whereby the vertical motion of the box or body portion is minimized, is thus afforded. The supportingbraces 15, in addition to supporting the rear end of the box and forming a compensating connection between the frame and the rear supporting-wheels, also limit the upward and downward movements of the rear supportipgwheels in relation to the frame.

I claim 1. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination of a main-frame portion ,-a bellcrank axle rockingly-mounted in the rear-end thereof, a central driving-wheel on such axle, and two rear supporting-Wheels, rotatably mounted upon the bell-cranks of such axle, substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination of a main-frame portion, an axle rockingly mounted in the rear part thereof, a central driving-wheel loosely mounted upon such axle, two'rear supporting-wheels rotatably mounted upon thebell-cranks of such axle, and means for pivotally connecting the bellcranks with the main frame, substantiallyas described.

3. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination of a main-frame portion pro vided with front steering and guiding wheels, a bell-crank axle rockingly mounted in the frame at the rear part thereof and provided with two rotatable trailing wheels one on each of the bell-cranks, a central drivingwheel loosely mounted upon the center of such rear axle, and braces pivotally connecting the bell-cranks with the main frame, substantially as described.

BOHN CHAPIN HICKS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, HARRY IRWIN CROMER. 

